High U.S. Para Swimmers Set for Residence Waters at 2026 Para Pan Pacific Championships

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The highway to LA28 continues later this month as lots of the world’s prime Para swimmers journey to Walnut, California, for the 2026 Para Pan Pacific Championships, Aug. 28-30, at Mt. San Antonio College. 

Hosted by U.S. Paralympics Swimming for the primary time since 2014, the worldwide championship will characteristic 10 nations and 170 athletes for 3 days of racing. The competitors additionally offers Team USA one other alternative to race on house soil lower than two years earlier than the LA28 Paralympic Games. 

“Para Pan Pacs offers the U.S. Paralympic swimming community the opportunity to test themselves against some of the best international competition in the sport,” stated Cole Hensley, U.S. Paralympics Swimming resident crew coach. “As we look toward LA28, this meet represents an invaluable opportunity for coaches, athletes and staff alike. 

“Meets of this nature bring with them a powerful sense of excitement, energy and purpose, creating a truly infectious atmosphere on deck. As we continue preparing Team USA for success at LA28, this meet provides an important opportunity to evaluate performance data, gain racing experience and build momentum for the road ahead. We are all excited to cheer on the athletes of Team USA as they compete later this week.” 

A World-Class Field 

The Para Pan Pacific Championships deliver collectively lots of the sport’s strongest swimming nations, together with Australia, Canada, Japan and the United States, together with extra invited nations, offering a championship-caliber worldwide competitors halfway by means of the Paralympic cycle. The competitors has served as a key benchmark on the worldwide calendar since its debut in 2011. 

Team USA Storylines 

Brad Snyder Returns to the Pool 

One of essentially the most recognizable names in Paralympic sport, Brad Snyder returns to worldwide Para swimming competitors for the primary time for the reason that Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. 

A 3-time Paralympian and eight-time Paralympic medalist, Snyder received 5 Paralympic swimming gold medals throughout London 2012 and Rio 2016 earlier than shifting his focus to paratriathlon, the place he captured gold on the Tokyo Paralympic Games. Now, after practically a decade away from elite Para swimming, the Navy veteran is again within the pool as he begins one other chapter along with his sights set on LA28. 

Ali Truwit Continues Her Inspiring Rise 

Less than three years after surviving a shark assault that resulted within the lack of her decrease left leg, Ali Truwit has emerged as one in all Team USA’s brightest Para swimming stars. The two-time Paris 2024 Paralympic silver medalist enters the 2026 Para Pan Pacific Championships persevering with to construct on her success since Paris, whereas additionally increasing the affect of her Stronger Than You Think Foundation by means of a brand new efficiency incentive fund for U.S. Para swimmers. 

Now one of many leaders of Team USA’s subsequent technology, Truwit will look to proceed her momentum on house soil as she races towards lots of the world’s prime Para swimmers whereas taking one other step towards the LA28 Paralympic Games. 

Four-time Paralympian and seven-time Paralympic medalist Mallory Weggemann stays one of the completed athletes on Team USA’s roster. After returning to the Paralympic stage at Paris 2024, Weggemann has continued competing internationally whereas balancing elite sport and motherhood. 

Weggemann enters Pan Pacs with momentum after profitable gold within the 200-meter particular person medley and bronze within the 50-meter butterfly on the 2026 Para Swimming World Series cease in Berlin. The 37-year-old now turns her consideration to a different worldwide take a look at on house soil as she continues towards a possible fifth Paralympic Games at LA28.

Leanne Smith Leads Veteran Core 

Few athletes enter the 2026 Para Pan Pacific Championships with a résumé as completed as Leanne Smith. The two-time Paralympian has established herself as one of many world’s premier swimmers within the S3 classification, profitable a number of Paralympic, world and worldwide titles whereas setting world and Paralympic data alongside the way in which. 

Coming off a four-medal efficiency on the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games that included two gold medals, Smith has continued her success in 2026, most not too long ago setting 4 American data on the inaugural John H. Ogden Northeast Para Open. She enters Pan Pacs as one in all Team USA’s veteran leaders and can look to hold that momentum into one other worldwide competitors on house soil. 

Koehn Boyd Continues to Build His Own Legacy 

Koehn Boyd turned the primary Para swimmer to earn Swimmer of the Meet honors three consecutive years on the U.S. Paralympics Swimming National Championships, profitable 5 races at this 12 months’s occasion. One of the game’s fastest-rising younger swimmers and the youngest athlete on the 2026 National A Team, Boyd continues to construct momentum on the highway to LA28. 

Pan Pacs offers the 17-year-old one other alternative to translate his home success to the worldwide stage towards a number of the prime swimmers in his classification. 

Katie Kubiak Emerges as a World-Class Contender 

Few swimmers have risen as rapidly as Katie Kubiak. After becoming a member of the game in 2023, Kubiak has quickly established herself on the worldwide stage, setting a number of world data earlier than profitable 4 gold medals and 7 whole medals in her World Championships debut in 2025 
 

Kubiak enters the 2026 Para Pan Pacific Championships trying to construct on that breakout worldwide season as she continues towards what could possibly be her first Paralympic Games at LA28. 

Summer Schmit Returns to the International Stage 

At simply 23 years outdated, Summer Schmit already brings the expertise of two Paralympic Games and a number of world championships to Team USA. A 2022 world championships bronze medalist within the 400-meter freestyle, Schmit continued to construct on her worldwide résumé final season with victories in each the 100-meter and 400-meter freestyle on the 2025 Para Swimming World Series finale in Lima. 
 

Next Generation Ready to Make Their Mark 

While Team USA’s roster options a mixture of Paralympic veterans and established worldwide stars, the 2026 Para Pan Pacific Championships additionally present a chance for the following technology to shine. Four swimmers not too long ago hit their marks and have been added to the U23 National Team this season, with Liberty Freeman, Mei White, Daniella Berger and Josie Dolan set to characterize the crew in Walnut. 

Other rising athletes to observe embrace Piper Sadowski, Dillon Mezey and Aiden Stivers. Sadowski arrives after a breakout home season that included an American document within the girls’s S14 400-meter freestyle and continued success throughout a number of occasions. Mezey, in the meantime, emerged as one of many nation’s brightest younger abilities after setting 5 American data on the U.S. Paralympics Swimming National Championships. Stivers enters Pan Pacs following his first world championships look in 2025 and continues to construct worldwide expertise because the highway to LA28 continues. 

Competition Schedule 

Training begins Aug. 24 earlier than three days of racing get underway Aug. 28 at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California. Competition runs by means of Aug. 30, with preliminary heats every morning earlier than athletes return for finals every night. 

Looking Ahead 

With LA28 now lower than two years away, the Para Pan Pacific Championships provide one in all Team USA’s greatest worldwide checks of the 2026 season whereas offering worthwhile racing expertise towards prime worldwide competitors.